Religion Watch Archives

Monitoring Trends in Religion - From February 1990 to January 2016

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Archives
    • By Issue
    • By Article
    • By PDF (2008-14)
    • By PDF (1985-97)
    • All Articles
  • Sections
    • Current Research
    • Findings & Footnotes
    • On/File
  • Google Search
You are here: Home / Archive / Eastern themes used in beauty products to lure young

Eastern themes used in beauty products to lure young

April 1, 2000 by Richard Cimino

Print-friendly

The use of Eastern religious themes and terminology in marketing cosmetics and other beauty products is growing in American culture, although observers are not sure how much the trend  has to do with religion.

Beliefnet.com (March 24) reports that companies such as Cover Girl and the Body Shop “have given Far Eastern civ a makeover, using some common, and some rather complex, religious concepts to name products for their spring campaigns.” Ellen Leventry writes that Cover Girl’s “sheer Karma” collection uses terms like “reincarnated,” but company officials deny that there are any religious aspects to the ad campaign.

The French perfume maker Guerlain has brought out a new scent called “Samsara,” apparently uninformed that the term means the endless cycle of death and rebirth that is the root of all suffering. The cosmetic company Shiseido recently released a fragrance which the company’s web site says is “inspired by Eastern spiritual thinking.”

Whether or not there is much thought, Eastern or otherwise, behind these ads, Leventry notes that they demonstrate how Eastern influence is no longer alternative. One marketing analyst with a youth-focus  says that “We’ve seen Eastern influences gradually going mainstream, and teen girls are jumping on the bandwagon.”

Print-friendly

Filed Under: Archive

Also in this issue

  • On/File: April 2000
  • Findings & Footnotes: April 2000
  • Catholic-Evangelical accord in Britain
  • Current Research: April 2000
  • Sikhs finding political muscle
  • Storefronts not welcome in new urban south
  • Religious giving shows influence of women, decentralization
  • Situation improving on AIDS and the priesthood
  • High cost Buddhism preventing growth?
  • New research questions post-denominational future
  • The religious right re-energized for campaign 2000?

Search the Site

Download the first issue of RELIGION WATCH (1980)

Download the first issue of RELIGION WATCH (1980)

Click on the image for downloading

© 2016-2023 Richard Cimino / Religioscope
·News Pro Theme · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress